As a trend, goth style comes and goes, often peaking around Halloween or when the latest piece of dark, moody media is released, but its devoted followers never stray far. This style finds beauty in the mysterious and the macabre—it romanticizes everything dark and melancholic.
Goth nails are deep black, rich red and velvety purple; they’re long and pointy, or short and edgy, and recently, they’ve been getting some cool upgrades. Here are 20 (mostly black) goth nail ideas to match your dark and edgy fashion.
1. Red And Black Ombre
What could be more goth than pointy, glossy red and black nails? The matte black accent nail is a clever detail that keeps this dramatic color combination grounded instead of overly glamorous.
2. Red Vampire Nails
This striking set features vampire iconography like bats, crosses and rosaries on glossy black, blood-red and spattered transparent acrylic nails.
3. 3D Goth Nails
This magnificent set has all the elements of the perfect goth outfit: black and purple, harnesses and bows, snake details and silver accessories. Truly a showstopper.
4. Goth French Tips
If your style is very extravagant and you want to keep your nails simple, here’s how to make them minimalist, but edgy—with black French tips on a nude base, featuring spiky silver thorns.
5. Victorian Goth Nails
The details of this mani are so pretty and delicate that without all the black, this could even be a lovely coquette set, but as it is, it has an edgy Victorian-inspired soft goth look.
6. Black And Chrome Nails
Black clothes and silver jewelry are the basis of goth style, so why not repeat this reliable color scheme on your nails? This nude-to-black ombre has a speckled, decaying look that makes this mani even edgier.
7. Clear Vampire Nails
Deep red spilling from the base of the clear, pointy acrylics, becoming diluted at the tips paints a gruesome picture. Pin this one to your Halloween inspo boards!
8. Witchy Nails
The hand-painted new moon at the base of the nail is the perfect finishing touch for the pearlescent purplish-white and wild black tips. Beautiful, innovative and eerie!
9. Black Ombre Nails
Glam and elaborate goth nails are stunning, but so are the gritty and gloomy styles like this somber black ombre. The pointy nude nails and pitch-black tips that spread downward like smoke look so cool!
10. Glam Goth Nails
Luxe version of goth nails: glossy black, gleaming gold and fine pearls. This manicure would perfectly match the romantic goth aesthetic.
11. Matte 3D Nails
This is how you make a subtle detail stand out. Ultra-long and needle-sharp matte black nails are the perfect goth backdrop for the glossy dark purple slithering snake sculpted in gel.
12. B&W Goth Nails
These genius black and white nails bring gothic architecture to nail art. The almond nail shape resembles cathedral windows so much that they were just waiting for the hand-painted arches to complete them.
13. Red Nails With Chrome Cross
A slightly different design on one nail instantly makes any manicure more interesting. This intense translucent dark red look is offset with a single nail featuring a French tip and decorated with a gothic chrome cross.
14. Louboutin Nails
Glossy back nails with red bottoms resemble the iconic Louboutin stiletto heels and, at the same time, fit the gothic aesthetic. Glam and goth!
15. Short Goth Nails
Goth nails don’t have to be long—or just for women. These short cyber goth nails for men give any XL set a run for its money.
16. Minimalist Goth Nails
Here’s a gorgeous goth take on nude nails: black, pointy French tips and gothic nail art in black and silver on each nail. Intense, but simple.
17. Red And Black Goth Nails
With black smoke rising into crystal-red tips, this manicure screams Vampira. When your nails look like this, any outfit you wear will instantly become twice as goth.
18. Clear Black Goth Nails
Black is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of goth nails, but we’ve moved beyond the basic black polish. This mesmerizing manicure features a translucent black smokey look with tarnished silver charms. Dark elegance!
19. Half-Moon Vampire Nails
The half-moon manicure is a vintage manicure style where you leave the bottom half of the nail–called the fingernail moon–bare and paint the rest. Done in matte black polish, this look is so old-school vampire!
20. Glossy Goth Nails
This monochrome mani combines textured white, glossy black and black-on-white aura nails, then takes things up a notch with chrome charms.